The saying, “What’s old is new again” maybe truer than ever before. Going through your mom’s hope chest is a treasure trove of old outfits that could easily be wore today, and wouldn’t stand out as unusual. It probably would be hard to find baby booties that are still wearable, but the overall classic looking baby shoes is very relevant and part of baby fashion statements all the time.

Maybe it wasn’t your mom but your grandma that has a pair of baby shoes bronzed and sitting out for display. This tradition doesn’t happen too often these days, but the look is striking similar between the bronzed shoes and ones being sold today. Some of this could be due to the simplicity behind the making of the shoe or the fact that our parents and grandparents are seeing something familiar on the store shelves. Either way, there is something about the classic look that takes a baby shoe into a more refined style.

We Like the Look of Recognizable

Like the old pair of slippers or comfy blanket that should have been thrown out years ago, there is something about old habits that die hard. Being back in old stomping grounds can cause you to revert back to old behaviors. Maybe you remember a high school crush or your favorite song; no matter what it is, there is a level of familiar that brings up good memories. These dredged up memories and feelings are things that we sometime inadvertently want to pass along to our child, and if this comes about through a pair of shoes, how wonderful is that?

If you go back far enough, we’re talking more than 10 years ago, the classic look was one of clean-cut men and well-dressed women. The styles exuded a sense of elegance and sophistication that many people nowadays greatly lack. Even if you don’t want to dress your little girls up in poodle skirts or put a button-up shirt and bowtie on your handsome young man, small statements like classic looking baby shoes goes a long way to putting forth a meaningful fashion declaration.

We Like the Look of Leather

Usually, when you mention old-fashion shoes, the correlation with leather is inexplicable. I guess our parents and grandparents must have drilled it into us when we weren’t looking. In general, leather is a great material for shoes, especially baby shoes, because of their durability, ability to clean and maybe a little bit of the smell that wafts up from them.

Most of the leather baby shoes being produced today are not the stiff, and confining shoes that adults wear, but soft, supple and very flexible, which are idle when babies are wearing shoes. The knack for walking, especially on smooth surfaces, is one that sometimes needs the assistance of a shoe that grips the floor. Leather allows a toddler to feel the texture of the ground in a muted way, protect their feet and navigate hard floors a little more professionally than sometime without.
The breathability of leather is also a beautiful thing as baby’s feet tend to sweat a lot. There are a number of reason for this including:

Being overdressed for the current temperatures

Naturally sweat more

Their bodies don’t regulate temperature as quickly as older folks

Some medical conditions cause extreme sweating

We Like the Look of Protection

We know how painful it can be to step on a small rock or the dreaded Lego, and we don’t want our children to have to feel pain. Unfortunately, none of us can avoid painful learning experiences, nor should we try. We learn best when something hurts, so when our child stubs a toe or steps on warm pavement, they learn the significance and can work to circumvent those situations down the road. Although tough to go through for both parent and child, we do have to let them skin their knees every so often to remind them that gravity still works.

There is a difference of letting them experience some discomfort as a means of learning consequences and providing protection to make sure they aren’t purposefully hurt. You know that when you go outside in the summertime that the pavement and asphalt are too hot for your feet and way too hot for a baby’s foot. You also know that toddlers don’t want to be strapped down in a stroller all the time, and thus need a layer of protection. There is no reason why you can’t offer up this kind of safety, while affording them freedom to roam, play and explore.

We Like the Look of Comfort

Just like those comfy slippers, classic looking baby shoes bring up a sense of comfort. But there is something to be said about having the right size shoe for your baby. Because their feet grow so quickly, and initially they aren’t able to tell you where they hurt, it is your responsibility to make sure their feet are comfortable in any shoe they are wearing. A normal standard to check is when they are standing, there should be enough room to put your pinky between the heel of the shoe and the baby’s heel, along with a thumb’s width between the tallest toe and the front of the shoe.

If in doubt, throw it out! Or, pack it up for the next baby. You don’t want to cause long term foot problems because you wanted a specific shoe to be worn longer or it made the boldest fashion statement within your mommies group. Check every month with the standards listed above, and be willing to move on to the next size when the time comes.

No matter what style or fashion statement you may or may not be making with your baby’s shoes, sometimes there is nothing more amazing than finding a pair of classic looking baby shoes that take you back to a great memory or prove to be an indelible new memory for you.